Mass effect : The Fist of Hydra
by Aeso3
Summary: After spending nearly a century in cryo, Bucky barnes wakes up to a whole new world. A world which has forgotten the dreaded Winter Soldier. A world which will eventually learn the fear the Fist of Hydra.
1. Chapter 1

_Longing, Rusted, Seventeen, Daybreak, Furnace, Nine, Benign, Homecoming, One, Freight Car..._ Those words kept ringing in his head. Digging and clawing at the very depths of his mind. Those words had become the very fabric of his weakness; for with just the utterance of those words he became a slave to any master who spoke them.

 _I'm with you till the end of the line..._

 _Bucky, wake up_

 _Wake up_

Yet with any weakness , there was strength to back it up. That sentence had become strength for him. One that motivated him...one that would help him awaken... ...awaken from this slumber. He did not know how long he had been asleep: years? Decades? Perhaps even centuries...he did not know. All that he knew was that he was being awakened from his slumber.

 _He's coming around!...easy there!..._

Voices echoed through his head as he saw blurry figures surrounding him. The Ice started melting as he slowly came to be. He knew not where he was or how long he had been in his deep slumber.

All that Bucky Barnes knew was that that he was now in an unfamiliar and dangerous world.

"Ugh!" the first words he uttered as he gasped for breath, struggling to come to his senses. He attempted his first step in what felt like an eternity ...yet it was to no avail. His body was just too weak to even move a singular muscle as it succumbed to the still frozen condition of his body...

"Whoa easy there!" a man exclaimed as he caught Bucky before his body could collide to the ground. "Hey help me out here guys" he called out to his comrades. As the man put the frozen soldier's hands over his shoulders, another man came over to aid him. They both helped him up on his feet and carried him away.

As the two men took him to an unknown destination, Barnes became the subject of many eyes as their gaze became firmly fixed on their guest. But it all didn't matter to him, for his body was just too numb from inactivity to even bother. After minutes of weakly hobbling around with help, they finally reached their destination as the two men laid him to rest on a bed.

"Who's this?" a woman asked. "Just one of the extras surprises we got from the Wakanda high commission" one of the men replied. "They didn't say much but he seemed pretty important. Besides that, he's an amputee to boot" another replied.

The woman inspected his unconscious body, looking at every minor detail she could. He certainly didn't seem like anyone from around and with just one arm, there just seemed to be an aura of mystery around him.

"Hmm, alright then. Let me see what I can do" said the woman. "Alright doc, it's your call now. Take care of him."

In all this time, the assassin simply watcheed with dull eyes as to what his situation really was. _Wakanda? Handing him over? But why? Where's Steve_? _Or Prince T'challa for that matter_ ...all these thoughts were flooding through his head as he tried to process them all. He couldn't even bother to notice the woman checking up on him. His body was just too tired and no sooner said than done, he passed out.

 _Hours later_

As Bucky's eyes began to open again, he felt his body regaining its strength again, and this time he had a clear vision of his surroundings. The room was white and pristine clean with holographic computers all around him. The place, the environment seemed all so familiar ...yet ...all the more different as well. As he lay there lamenting on these thoughts, the door opened and in came the same woman, who had a look of genuine surprise and shock .

"Hey, looks like your awake" she said while walking towards him. "Don't worry, I'm the ship's doctor, so there's nothing to be scared about. Can you get up?" she asked.

 _Doctor? A ship?_ All kinds of questions already flooded his mind again.

" Yeah" Bucky replied as he slowly got up to seated position from the bed. While firmly seated, she raised her arm as a holographic projection started appearing before it. Curious as to what new technology it was, Bucky leaned in for a closer look. He could see her dabbling and tinkering with it, like some sort of computer. It was just like how he had noticed: the world was different yet familiar at the same time.

"Huh? What? Haven't seen this before?" the doctor asked, noticing the man's curiosity at seeing her use the omnitool. "No" the assassin replied.

Suddenly, the doors opened up again as a group of men in formal uniforms appeared. Among them was an old man, who seemed like the leader of the group. "Ah! So this is the fish out of temporal waters that you've all been talking about. It is certainly an honour to meet you Mr..." the old man asked. The assassin simply looked at him with a confused expression on his face.

"Oh my! Where are my manners! I'm Doctor Nitesh Devi. I lead this team of historians and archaeologists aboard this ship, the _Charon_. And you must be..."

"Barnes..Bucky Barnes" he replied.

Hearing this, the old man reached out his hand, probably to extend a welcoming hand. After much reluctance Bucky returned the offer as well.

"Well it is quite a pleasure to meet you Mr Bucky Barnes. But pray, tell us, how did you end up on that cryo-pod? "

"If you want me to tell you my answers you gotta answer mine first. What year is it?" the assassin questioned coldly.

Rubbing his chin, the Dr Devi replied," Hmmm, fair enough. At the present moment, we are in the year 2178. And would you mind telling us why this concerns you?"

"Because the last time I checked, it wasn't even a new century" he answered.

"So you're implying that you've been in cryogenic sleep for more than a century? And what's your angle with Wakanda? There's gotta be a reason why they just willingly gave you up" another man spoke up.

At this moment, Bucky was now at a dilemma. Could he tell them everything? Or perhaps even a half truth. If what they say is true, then he has certainly been out for a really long time. But has the world forgiven him? Have the world leaders forgotten about him? Have the sins of his past really been dismissed forever? Did the leaders of Wakanda fail to cure him of his predicament or did they have a change of heart to hand him over to someone else's fate. All of these questions filled his mind to the brim, as for the first time in a really long time he really didn't know what to do anymore.

"W-well, perhaps there is a good reason you do not wish to discuss it with us. Is it Mr Barnes" Dr Devi interrupted.

" Uh...yeah it is" the assassin replied.

Bucky watched as these so-called archaeologist s and historians started whispering to one another.

"But doctor , how can we trust him if he's not gonna tell us anything"

"For all we know, he could be dangerous"

"If you are all fearing an amputee at this moment, I shudder to think what would happen to you all when you meet real threats" Dr Devi proclaimed. "Regardless of whom he was or what he did, his past has died away centuries ago. Isn't that right Mr Barnes"

"Umm, yeah, you can put it that way" Bucky replied as the medic continued to check up on him.

"Jolly good then! It seems like a fantastic opportunity for a fresh start for you Mr Barnes. You should be grateful that we cracked open that cryo-pod like an egg and not plan to hand you to the Citadel authorities or even the System Alliance"

The Winter Soldier simply stared at him with confusion.

"*sigh* Oh goodness gracious me, it would seem that there is a lot of catching up to do for you. Do not worry, that can be taken care of. Sadly the same cannot be said about your left arm. You see this is an archaeological ship not an-"

"No it's okay. What you've given is enough" Bucky reassured. Lacking any other options, this was the only alternative he could take. For he knew they, could be Hydra agents creating a fake simulation for him. If that would be the case then he would just kill them all...even if he had just one arm.

"Well, then that settles it. Welcome Mr Bucky Barnes." Dr Devi said as he reached out his hand again to which the assassin instinctively replied with his own handshake.

"A new world awaits."

 **Hello everyone, this is just something I came up with as a sort experiment for my writer's block. I hope you all enjoy it and let me know if you want more of this.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Steady now...steady "one of the engineers said as he carefully tried attaching a handmade hook prosthetic onto Bucky's missing left arm. It had been weeks since his awakening and a lot had changed since then. The Winter Soldier learned a great deal about his new world: aided greatly by the databases they provided for him. He learned a valuable deal about the recent events that had transpired around: About how humanity had discovered new ways to reach for the stars, how they colonized dozens of worlds, their first contact with new extraterrestrial life not unlike the chitauri. Their integration into a bigger, much grander part of the galaxy and most importantly, their position in it.

But at the same time, he had learned a valuable deal about the past as well. It seemed that at the turn of the century, the superheroes and vigilantes that he came to know had stopped operating altogether. It seems that Steve had been pardoned of all apparent crime and had been martyred a hero along with Tony Stark and the rest of the Avengers. For what reason he and the others were pardoned and why they stopped operating altogether were still left a mystery. No matter how hard he searched through the database, there were still no answers available. He tried asking the historians and archaeologists and even they could not find out why. According to what they knew, the reason it seems were more related to a certain event which had yet to be disclosed to the public and it coincided with them retiring. Even sightings of the Asgardian Thor had become rare. So it seemed there were more questions than he could account for.

"And done" the engineer said as he dusted his hands off." So how is it?"

Bucky twisted and turned the arm in all directions to see if it was functional. While it was manageable, its hook-like design meant it lacked the movement and rotatory freedom that his old arm provided. His old metal wasn't just a weapon, in fact after using it for so long it had become a piece of him." Miss my old arm...but it'll do for now" he replied.

"Well you gotta make do with what you have. This is an archaeological ship not one where you get all the high tech. Maybe you can buy an affordable prosthetic from Seraphtech once we reach the citadel."

"Wait, isn't that the-"the assassin muttered in confusion.

"Yup that's the one. Doc didn't tell you? Hmm...some boss he is" the engineer replied.

"Apparently I'm told he's absent minded. So why are we going there again?"

"We're supposed to be delivering some artifacts for the Citadel Galactic Museum. Some sort of token of good will from the alliance I guess. That's all I know, sorry I can't tell you anymore" the engineer answered.

"Don't sweat it" the assassin replied. As he was saying this, he was also trying to find a way to work on the omnitool that they had just installed on his right arm recently, trying his best to tinker with the device with his prosthetic hook. It was to no avail as he groaned in frustration. _So much for advancement in technology_ he murmured to himself.

"Don't worry you'll get used to it. Anyways you should check in with Doctor Devi. He wants to talk to you."

"Yeah, your right. Guess I should" the Winter Soldier responded as he got up and left the engineering deck.

Walking through the hulls and corridors of the ship, he moved past various faces; many of whom had become accustomed to seeing him.

"Hey Bucky, new arm huh? Cool"

"Not bad. Suits ya man"

"Looks like, someone's not a handicap anymore...eh?"

He could hear the various greetings and compliments all across him. He tried his level best to feint a few fake responds and made sure to ignore the rest as he made his way to Doctor Devi's room. Opening the door, he saw 'the doctor' as everyone called him, pacing back and forth, tinkering with his omnitool.

"Ah! Mr Barnes, I have been expecting you" greeted the doctor.

"You wanted to see me?"

Dr Devi walked towards his desk as he picked up some sort of notepad.

"We conducted a little more thorough search on the pod you were once in and we found this" the doctor said as he handed over the notepad. "It seems to be some sort of message from Wakanda, but it is heavily encrypted."

Bucky looked over the notepad in specific detail, waiting to see if there was anything strange about it. Some secret button or activation panel or any type of access pass that wpuld be exclusive to alas, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

"It seems to run on some sort of DNA scan. Perhaps it could be yours Mr Barnes."

"Maybe...I'll keep that in mind" the assassin replied as he put away the notepad.

 _*Dr we're getting close to the mass relay, ETA 5 minutes.*_

"So it has finally arrived. I highly recommend that you hang tight Mr Barnes, you will enjoy this."

"What's going on?" Bucky asked, seeing the Dr take a seat.

"Fear not, we are simply going from one part of the galaxy to another. In this case: from our very own Solar System to the Serpent Nebula. So please, take a seat" Dr Devi answered.

Bucky decided to comply with the man's request as he sat down on another seat. It room had quite a view of space. "Isn't the Citadel in that ...what was it called? Serpent somthin-"

"Serpent Nebula. Well...it is the Citadel that we are going to. But it does reside within the Serpent Nebula."

The Citadel...it was certainly something that he had read up a lot about. The centre of Galactic Civilization and unity. Races from all corners of the Galaxy had come together under the Citadel banner...or so he read. Regardless, it would certainly be interesting to see it for himself after reading so much on it and if it could actually live up to its hype.

* _Mass relay ETA 1 minute*_ the radio chattered in, as Bucky grounded himself firmly into his seat. As he looked up deep into the vast empty space, he saw what seemed like a small blue light. But as it drew nearer and nearer, it grew bigger and bigger and looked more like a massive alien construct with blue energy coursing through it.

* _Ready for Mass relay jump in 3...2...1*_

The world around seemed to blur as the ship picked up speed, becoming faster and faster while the mass relay seemed to be aiding it,...giving it the power it needed. Pulse throbbed as the ship started to move in lightspeed, while the empty space around turned into a flashing portal. It moved with an absurd speed beyond anything of his comprehension as he gripped his seat tightly.

And just like that, it was over within moments, and lo and behold, before him laid a new world completely alien to him.

"Mr Barnes, I welcome you to the Citadel, the Bastion of Galactic order" Dr Devi announced.

True to his words, the Citadel not only lived up to the hype, it was also much grander in scale than anything he had ever seen before. Massive fleets of ships moved from station to station, while tall buildings hovered over each other, completely devoid of the laws of gravity. It truly was a sight to take in.

"Amazing, is it not?"

Bucky got out of his seat and stared in awe at the grand sight of the Citadel. "Yeah, it is."

"It has only been 12 years since we were recognized as a Galactic power and granted official embassy into the Citadel, but we have come a long way since such short time. And this ship carries with it, artifacts bearing our history as a token of goodwill for our galactic neighbours. So you can see how much it was to our surprise to find you amongst them."

"Could say the same thing myself" Bucky replied.

"What value could an amputated man like you bring? A man from the past brought over by Wakanda no less! Ha ha ha, it certainly is funny" the doctor chuckled.

"Yeah" the winter soldier replied with a nervous grin as he tensed up in anticipation for any perceived threat.

"Well, speaking of which there...is ...a slight problem for you to enter the Citadel."

"I don't exist" the assassin deducted.

"W-well you have been technically dead for nearly a century. It is beyond coincidence that you not only resemble the heroic James Buchanan Barnes, who gave his life serving the howling commandos, but also share his name as well, no?"The doctor continued to pry.

Hearing this made the assassin even more nervous. Is he onto something? Was everything he did all just a hoax to lure him into a false sense of security? Either way, if the worst happened, he'd have no choice but to put an end to him.

"Bucky Barnes was a hero in the eyes of many generations ...yet he was also known throughout the world as a feared Hydra agent who took the lives of many a good people. He certainly is an interesting man, to be able to cheat death and live for two whole centuries. That was why I decided to help you Mr Barnes. Someone like you must have good reasons to end up in a stasis pod. So tell me, which Bucky Barnes are you?"

"I don't know about it myself but ...I just know it would've better for everyone if I was still in it." _Not when I couldn't even trust my own mind._..he thought.

"You see this is a civilian class ship: we have neither guards nor any security measures against any external threats. Our fate lies purely on any garrison stationed nearby. You had ever to kill me and my people aboard. If you really were that cold, ruthless assassin that everyone used to talk about, you might have done so my good man, but alas you moved not a muscle. So now I see no difference. As we have all been taught, history is about not repeating the same mistakes of the past. The rules of old do not apply to me and my philosophy. Whatever has happened in the past should stay there. Now...regarding your entry to the Citadel, since you do not have an ID, it will be very difficult for you. I can only think of heading over to the local authorities and coming up with a bizarre story for them. Perhaps they can help forge a new I-"

"No! Anyone but the authorities" said the assassin, cutting the doctor's speech mid sentence.

"But, how will you enter then? I cannot possibly think of any other alternatives."

The assassin paused for a while, thinking long and hard as to what to do now. He always had to plan ahead; ahead of his enemies, ahead of danger. But this time, it was in a world he no longer knew. So it certainly took him a long while before he finally came up with an answer. "Put me in one of the shipping containers."

"What!?" the doctor exclaimed, shocked at the suggestion. "You must be mad!"

"Maybe I 'am...but I've done worse. I can't give in to any authorities. Trust me, it's for you and your crew's own good. If I can't get in without an ID, I'll sneak in". Regardless of the time gap, there was no chance in hell that he would give in to any Governing body like that. Especially not since the incident in Vienna and everything else that followed after. Even if he had been out for a century, he couldn't risk it: it was better for him to lay low. History had branded him as a dreaded, ruthless killer, and ...at the same time... branded him dead: it was better to everyone to still believe that. Whatever answers he sought, it would probably be in that notepad from Wakanda.

"Listen, thank you for everything you and your crew have done for me. But from here on out, I'd like to be on my own" Bucky reassured the doctor. "You've done enough for me. But it's better for everyone to think I'm still dead."

"Hmm, very well...if ...that is your wish then follow me" Dr Devi said with a heavy sigh as he motioned the Winter Soldier to follow him. As they entered the cargo bay, various boxes of crates and shipping containers were already being moved in anticipation of upcoming trade.

"Well, here we are. You can find one to your liking. When we land, they will most surely place them in the docking bay, or perhaps the warehouse. Either way, you will certainly be able to enter the Citadel undetected; if that you can do."

Bucky searched through the cargo bay, searching for a container to his liking. They came in all shapes and sizes, but he finally found one.

"So you have decided Mr Barnes? Hmmm... interesting. So you wish for ancient canons to be companions. Very well, I'll have for the crew to arrange just enough room for you. Just...um...be careful with them, please. They are quite delicate no?"

The Winter Soldier took a good look at the canons; they did not look delicate in any way. "Um...yeah" he sarcastically replied.

After a few minutes of busy arrangements made by the crew, the container was finally spacious enough for Bucky to fit in. As he was about to enter the container, a hand stopped him from behind. He turned around to see Dr Devi and what appeared to be a duffle bag in his hand.

"The crew managed to scavenge a few clothes and provisions for you Mr Barnes. And I have this to give you" the doctor said as he dabbled with his omnitool. Suddenly the omnitool in Bucky's right arm lit up as the credit numbers went from zero to 500.

"It is not much, but it should help you get by. My apologies for not being able to tell you much about the Avengers or anything else related to them. It seemed that after certain events, they disappeared off the world, one by one. Some went on to create new lives, others simply retired. The nature of this incident is classified...even to us historians. Perhaps that notepad can give you the answers you seek...if you can find a way to decrypt it that is. It is quite unfortunate that we have to part ways like this Mr Barnes. I would have liked to hear your stories. Perhaps we can meet again someday. "

"I'd liked to...but just not now. Thank you and give my thanks to your crew as well. Goodbye doctor and –"

"and?" the doctor questioned.

"We never met" the Winter Soldier said as the doors of the container closed. The room became darker and darker until it became pitch black. Bucky put the notepad inside the duffle bag as he took the time to lie down and rest: for he would need for the rough new journey ahead.


	3. Chapter 3

Sitting inside the container felt like hours and hours of waiting in complete darkness. He felt the movement of the container, which was probably being located to its destination though he knew not where he was going. All that he felt was the cold steel of the cannons, the movement of the container and the ever present darkness which eventually subsided as his eyes became accustomed to it.

Deciding to kill time, Bucky decided to open up the notepad from the duffle bag and check out its contents. He took the object out and scanned it meticulously, laying his hand on every part of it in order to find a way to turn it on. Suddenly as he placed the palm of his right hand on the screen, it started a scanning process. * _Scanning complete: James Buchanan Barnes confirmed*_ the machine blurted out after which a highlighted button appeared before the screen. James proceeded to press the button and soon a message was displayed on the screen.

The message read:

 _To whom it may concern,_

 _As you may well be aware, my Grandfather King T'Challa swore an oath to give you, Mr Barnes, official sanctuary in Wakanda. He believed you to be an innocent victim of circumstances and that you were not responsible for the death of his father and predecessor King T'Chaka. In his deathbed, he read out his will; among them was that under no circumstances should Bucky Barnes be surrendered to outside forces nor should any harm befall him. His goal was to remove the programming that had been installed inside your mind, but removing this corruption in your mind has proven to be a fruitless task that persists till this day. While it has been proven that you are indeed innocent of the murder of my great-grandfather, the crimes you committed as the winter soldier has become public knowledge. Wakanda has put a great deal of risk giving you refuge, one which could no longer continue as the world around us became bigger. New races now meant new diplomatic channels to be set up. Wakanda and the rest of humankind has sought out to be part of a bigger galactic body and dark relics of the past such as yourself bring a stain to our image. As such we had reached a dilemma where we could neither bring harm to you nor hand you over to outside elements, and thus, we sought the third option. We've decided to free you from our diplomatic refuge and give you control over your fate again. This way I shall both continue honouring my grandfathers will and wash the hands of Wakanda clean. The notepad will give you all the information you need to survive in the new world. Your fate is in your hands and how you live your new life is up to you .I wish you the best on luck in your future endeavours._

 _Sincerely,_

 _King T'Chaka II._

"Figures. Made a smart choice" he muttered to himself as he closed the letter. The screen then changed to a database with a wide variety of settings and what seems to be a codex on current events , news and technology. It would seem that even if Wakanda no longer wanted to have anything to do with him, they certainly did not send him empty handed or ill-equipped with knowledge; that is...if the ship's crew did not attempt to sack him first. _Looks like I'm on my own, he_ thought to himself.

And no sooner did he say so, did the container that he was resting on and using as a means of transportation shook more than it normally was. If experience had taught him anything, it was a clear indication that the container was about to land. It swung back and forth, left and right, until the container slowly steadied itself as it neared the ground. "Alright, steady now!" Bucky heard a voice shout and with a sudden thud it landed. Regaining his composer inside, the winter soldier could hear the two individuals conversing outside. "So is this last of em?" one of them asked. "Yup, a few old canons and other pieces of shit"the other person replied. " Yeah well, doesn't matter, we're done here. Wanna head out to the bar?" One of them said, to which the other replied "man, I've been waiting for it the whole day. Yeah let's go." And with that it became silent again. It seems now was the perfect time to get out of the container and make his escape.

However, within that it presented a problem, and it was one which neither he nor the shipping crew ever thought through: the container was locked from the outside. Had he still owned the metallic arm, there was still a possibility that he could've been able to punch through the metallic container despite it being made from something else. His hook arm was not suitable for such tasks and now it seems he would be at the mercy of someone opening it from the outside. He grumbled at the thought of waiting for another agonizing hour or so, perhaps a day, or at worst even days.

Finally, having decided that patience was not a virtue he could gamble on at this time, he felt the risk would be worth the trouble. He started banging on the walls of the container, hoping to make a loud enough noise which would attract someone. And soon it did, as it caught the attention of a wandering worker. Hearing the loud clanging form one of the containers was enough to spark his curiosity to unlock the seal and open the outside of the container. What he got instead was a rude surprise as an intimidating man stood in front of him, though his face was covered. The man quickly proceeds to grab the back of his neck with his hook, pulling him towards his right fist which knocked him out cold.

With his rescuer unconscious, Bucky proceeded to quickly observe his surroundings. It certainly was a maze of containers and gave him the perfect opportunity to both move quickly and take cover from any potential witness. Wanting to no longer instigate the situation further, he quickly grabbed his bag and moved as he heard of sound of footsteps coming his way. As he dashed for cover, he could hear the alarming shouts of man who had just seen his colleague unconscious. It was his cue to get out of there and fast.

Moving as fast as he could yet nimble and quiet like a slithering snake, Bucky used the every dark corner he could to his advantage. He felt fortunate that there were no security cameras in sight yet, or at least what would come off for as a security camera. He kept moving and evading until he reached what appeared to a large ventilation shaft. Large ventilation shafts were one of his most reliable allies as his time on the run taught him. What he could not account for was that without his metallic arm, there would be much more difficultly in opening one. Not that it was impossible, as he still had the strength that rivalled his friend Steve Rogers, and the hook prosthetic would come in handy. Using both his arms, he pulled off the large shaft, though with some difficulty, and quickly entered it before putting the gate back in.

It was spacious enough that he could crouch on it and it seems the design had been modified to make it more structurally sound and less noise prone; designs he felt were very convenient for him. He moved through another seemingly endless maze before reaching to what appears to be a route which leads all the way down. Squeezing himself through the hole, he went sliding all the way down, using his limbs as a way of slowing down his impact. It took a full three minutes before he reached the base, where he crashed through another ventilation gate and into a large spacious area consisting of tunnels. It would seem he had landed in the station's sewers. Getting back to his footing and dusting himself off, he continued on his way, proceeding with caution.

However, it seems his caution was exercised too late: for in front of him stood an alien staring blankly at him. It had four lower limbs and additional limbs above with a green skin and its overall features were very insectoid in appearance. The alien didn't say a work but kept moving towards him. " w-wait, stay back! Good alien, just stay back!" he warned unsure of how to react to this. It moved closer and closer and closer until...

It simply walked past him and towards what seems to be a monitor which it started dabbling with. The Winter Soldier raised an eyebrow with a look of shock and confusion. He thought he was done for, but nothing of that sort happened. It seem these aliens simply keeps things to themselves...or ...at least this one does. Before long he saw another one, and another one; all walking around and doing some sort of chore or the other, yet all blatantly ignoring him. It felt like the whole day was one lucky break after another. From what he could make out, these aliens some sort of workers, ones which he recalled learning about yet can't seem to remember clearly. After a brief while of thinking to himself, he made to move to follow one of them, hoping it would lead him towards an exit. After all, even in a colony of ants, there was always an exit from the nest.

He picked his target and followed it like a spy would follow an HVT; keeping his distance so as to not meet anymore extras. It wasn't long before even the alien itself walked towards a dead end and went about its own business dabbling with more monitors. Taking a heavy sigh, Bucky looked around to see if there was an alternate route available. But as he began observing more closely, he began to notice something. The faint sound of the toilet flushing and further still was the faint sound of people talking. It was a clear that he was close to an exit of some kind and soon he began to looks for any cracks in the hole.

Again he heard the sound of the toilet being flushed and this time, he took noticed of the origin of the sound. It seemed to have originated somewhere near the wall as the sound of the flowing sewage moved beneath him. After several more minutes of observation, he finally noticed another ventilation shaft above one of the walls. This time, he hoped, it would lead him to an exit. Using the hook as a way to latch onto the shaft, he used his other arm to pull it off albeit with more difficulty as it was designed to stay permanent. Climbing up again, he squeezed himself into the much smaller vent hole and pushed himself through, unsure of what he might be putting himself through. Bucky pushed his body, crawling with great difficulty before finally seeing an opening. Channelling all his strength into his right arm he pushed through the very small shaft and tumble right down under.

He was greeted by a shocked scream of another alien. This one looked like very amphibious with appendices, hind legs and a very lanky figure. It looked like a thin frog on two legs. If his memory was correct, according to Dr Devi, this was a Salarian, one of the three prominent races of this galaxy. As he got to his feet, he could not help but notice the alien kept staring at him." What were you doing up there?" the alien asked. _This thing can speak English? ...oh wait that translator. It's gotta be it_ the Winter Soldier deduced." I was...um...I got lost, and umm took me a while to find an exit" he nervously replied. "And right into my private ritual. You've certainly interrupted it" the alien grimaced. Bucky quickly realized that he may have just landed right in the restroom, though he was unsure if it was the men's or the women's or whatever gender was passed off for these aliens. "Sorry" he quickly apologized. "Well, nothing to do about it now. You humans are strange" the alien answered with an annoyed look on its face. "Well then...I'll be on my way" Bucky said as he quickly made his exit. "I don't understand aliens anymore" the Salarian commented shaking it's head.

Exiting the door, Bucky walked into a whole different world. Never in his whole life had he seen something so bizarre and yet so fascinating. There were humans sure, but there were also aliens. Each so vastly different from one another in appearance and characteristics. In addition to the bipedal amphibious ones, there were those that looked birdlike, ones that looked like walking jellyfishes and even ones that looked like blue skinned humans with head fringes. Taking it all in, he walked towards the glass window, admiring the spectacular view of the station, giving himself a brief moment of respite before the challenges that laid ahead of him. He had stumbled upon a strange, dangerous yet exciting world. A chance to start anew, and to forget his past misdeeds.


	4. Chapter 4

_*Attention all workers, food's getting served shortly. First come, first served *_ a voice on the speaker announced. No sooner had it been announced that all the workers immediately dropped what they were doing and left in hurry before the line got bigger. Even in a place like the Citadel, there was always a divide between the rich and the poor. Unlike the wealthier residents of the Presidium, those in the lower wards did not have the privilege of having a dynamic day/night cycle nor were they able to afford better accommodations in a cramped station such as this for every space counted.

The whole day they toiled in the bottom pool of the station, working under maintenance, repairing any damaged machinery, collecting any craps for salvage and recycling, cleaning the wastage system and on the whole ensuring that the station ran smoothly. In a way, they were the unsung heroes of the station, working to maintain the station for little pay.

But they didn't care about that; all that they wanted was to earn a decent wage to make ends meet. The workers all pushed and jostled each other in order to get the best spot in the line. Free meals were one of the few benefits they received and one of the few things to look forward to after a boring day of work. Soon, they all found themselves their very own spot which they claimed and waited for. Among the workers was none other the Bucky himself.

A job as scrap collector and maintenance worker didn't seem like the most lucrative career for the man who was once the most feared assassin in human history. But it had its advantages: the pay was decent and he was employed without the requirement of any form of identification, and he didn't mind the hardships or the fact that he was handicapped with a hook for a left arm. This was exactly what he needed to lay low.

While he waited patiently in the long for his turn, a strange commotion started generating buzz around the crowd. The people, including Bucky, turned around to see what it was all about: which just so happened to be an unfortunate Quarian getting the snot beaten out of him by a very angry gang, consisting of two humans and a Turian. "Damn you Quarian! That was our salvage! Give it back!" the Turian shouted. "Fucking masked piece of shit!" one of the humans angrily cussed. Before long, the crowd soon went about their business once again, not once stepping in to stop the situation; pretending as if the incident never even happened. And who could blame them? Bucky thought to himself. Playing hero was never going to let anyone get far here and doing so only escalated attention.

Bucky himself was tempted not to intervene. Doing so would risk his anonymity, and risk bringing in the attention of law. Yet as the sound of the beatings and the groaning of the Quarian became more and more profound, he couldn't help but feel a sense of Déjà vu. The sight indeed brought back a memory of the past. A time when he came to the rescue of a certain friend in Brooklyn: as he was on the receiving end of the same beating. He was a skinny little punk going up against men several times his size, yet not once did he flinch. To him, doing the right thing was more important than the adversity faced. The conviction was what led to Bucky being saved by him even after he was captured and turned into a monster for Hydra. Would he allow this to happen?

 _Dammit Steve. Even now you're still in my head. Looks like you wouldn't have it any other way..._ Bucky chuckled .He immediately made his way towards the gang who were all still busy ganging up on the Quarian. Before they could even respond to him, the winter soldier landed a solid front kick to one of humans, which sent him flying across the hall and crashing to a table, disabling him. Seeing a new threat, the Turian attempted a right hook on him which was immediately caught with his right hand. However, before Bucky could land a counter, the other human jumped on him from behind and attempted a rear choke hold. While he struggled to free himself from the grasp, the Turian took the opportunity to hit him repeatedly with his fists. Just as he was about to land another blow however, Bucky grabbed the human with his right hand and threw him over and right into the Turian. Falling on the ground hard, human was knocked out cold, while the Turian still managed to get up and rushed towards. Attempting another punch, the fist of Hydra simply dodged it, grabbed him by the collar and took him out with a headbutt, ending the fight.

"Getting a bit rusty " he muttered to himself as he observed the crowd staring at him nervously. No sooner had he said that did two C-Sec officers arrive on the scene: probably called by one of the onlookers. "Alright, what's going on here?" one of them, a Turian, asked. "We were told somebody was being attacked. Now what we're seeing here is something else. Care to explain?" he continued. Without hesitation, everyone pointed their fingers at both Bucky and the three assailants. The Turian nodded his partner, an Asari to go towards the other three, who were still unconscious.

The Turian police officer walked towards Bucky and started inspecting him. " Hmm, never seen a human like you but it looks like you came far away from home to cause such troubles" he stated. "I never meant to. Just got out of hand" Bucky answered.

"Oh really? Well, your words seem genuine human, but everyone here seems to be terrified of you. And that is not weighing in on your favour" the officer stated as his Asari partner came back and whispered something into his ear. He then lowered his head and shook in annoyance, "Not a minute goes by without some idiot stirring up trouble or some hotshot wanting to make a name for themselves, Take those three and the Quarian for medical treatment. You on the other hand, are under arrest for assault, disorderly conduct and disruption of peace" he ordered as he started scanning the man. "What the-no positive ID?" the officer said in genuine surprise. He attempted another scan only for the omnitool to give him the same result. "How in the blazes did you get past customs? Or did you smuggle your way in here. And where did you get that prosthetic item? It's unregistering in the scan" he prodded.

Here these questions, made Bucky tense up. Everything that he had feared was starting to come true. If they find out he got in here illegally they might just deport him or worse still, If he was reported to the human embassy and they found out by chance, sooner or later that he is in fact the Winter Solider, it would be catastrophic. All these scenarios started conjuring up in his head and if he refused and escaped it would make it worse. And it was all because he decided to do what he thought was right in Steve's eyes.

"Looks like you have a lot of answering to do human. Let's go" the officer ordered as he placed restraining cuffs on him. Bucky decided to comply, as escalating the situation would likely increase his notoriety.

The hours were long and excruciating as the Winter Soldier paced back and forth within his cell. What was worse however was the fact that they had confiscated his prosthetic arm: on grounds that they were not registered under a governing or corporate body thus deemed illegal. He did not know where he was at the moment, but with the presence of a large number of other cells, it would suggest that he was in one of the main holding cells for criminals in the station.

After what seemed like an eternity, a Salarian officer arrived with an escort of armed guards. "Prisoner no 247 please face towards the wall and put your hands up" he ordered, to which Bucky simply complied. The guards simply held him up at gunpoint due to him lacking both arms for handcuffing as they scanned and escorted him to an unknown location. As he walked with the Salarian, he could see rows and rows of cells and a multitude of criminals of all races, each looking like they wanted to rip his intestines out and hang him with it...if they could defeat him first, which he felt was very likely since he was handicapped. After a while they finally reached their destination which was a large room with a table and two chairs, one of which he was placed in while the other seat was already occupied.

"That'll be all" the Turian interrogator ordered. The officers left on this request, leaving just the two of them. A minute of silence later, the Turian spoke up again "So you're the mystery human...hmmm...Interesting. Nobody gets into the Citadel without going through customs. No identity, no personal background, no records of health, absolutely nothing. Your face does not even register on the VI scanner. You're a complete mystery" the Turian said. "We've sent your mugshot to the Human embassy and even they don't recognize you on their registered list. Their assumption is that you're just a common crook who managed to smuggle his way in, and that it would be in their best interest to leave the matter alone. Now tell me, is this all true?" he continued. On hearing that the Governing human bodies did not recognize him, nor wanted to have anything to do with him, seeing him as just some random criminal, Bucky heaved a sigh of relief. "Yes" the Winter Soldier replied. "So, who are you exactly? And how did you manage to bypass customs to arrive here?" the interrogator asked. "The first question: I don't remember who I was or am. As for the second one, I snuck under a cargo ship and got my through the containers." Bucky answered while obviously omitting out the parts containing Dr Devi and the others.

"Your words give off an aura of honesty yet I know you aliens are far craftier than given credit. I still have reasons to believe you're a spy. Either working for the System Alliance or some other organization, henceforth their obliviousness to you existence" he accused. "And what good is a spy with one arm?" Bucky shot back. "Well it's all on camera really. A handicapped human taking on three, well built individuals and defeating them with ease and myriad of dozen witnesses all terrified of you, many of whom were once your 'co-workers' . Only military and intelligence can provide that kind of skill" the Turian retorted. Barnes simply stood silent on hearing that statement, glaring at the Turian who proceed to ignore him. "Regardless, you've now been given a choice, either be deported back to your planet, or stay here for another 10 years, rot in you cell with very excited inmates and then be deported, both for illegal entry and non-permitted residency, in addition to fines stacking up to 2500, for the crimes of assault, and property damage as well as seriously injuring three individuals. So what will it be?"

To most people , simply being deported seemed like the most sane of options, yet to the man who was once known as the Fist of Hydra, one who had committed numerous crimes under the banner of Hydra, earth was the last place he wanted to go.

"I'll take imprisonment" he quickly answered. The answer he was given, genuinely shocked the interrogator. Most aliens would try to take the easy way out rather than own up to their crimes and accept punishment with the exception of his fellow Turians. To say that he was almost impressed would be an understatement, especially since a decision like that came from a human. "Well...that was a very...unorthodox decision. Most would've taken deportation. You impress me human. But don't think this will get me off your back. I'll get to the bottom of this and find out everything about you, and then...the appropriate punishment will come." The Turian concluded. "Until then however, enjoy your stay in prison. It will be your new home for a long, long time. Now get out of my sight. Guards!" he ordered.

The Guards soon arrived and took Bucky back to his cell. _What the hell is happening to me...You just had to play the hero Buck. Couldn't stay off the grid could you?_ He cursed himself, lamenting on his fate. Everything in his current predicament happened because of his decision to be the good guy and save the kid from bullies. But right, it would seem he needed to focus on the present situation at hand. Right now he needed to survive his new hell until he could find a new solution or at least one that would be provided for him with any luck.


	5. Chapter 5

As expected, prison is not one of the friendliest places in the galaxy. Playing host to a collection of petty criminals, mercenaries, psychopathic sadists, former crime lords and everything in between, it was most certainly a wretched place to call a home. Even a prison under the Jurisdiction of the Citadel authority was still as harsh and brutal as can be despite strict security. The prison was home to crazed degenerates who would murder their own friend for the pettiest of reasons.

And this meant doubly for Barnes ...initially. As a man with only one functioning arm, he seemed to be at a disadvantage: the easiest and most likely target. Most guards speculated that he would last at best a month before somebody murdered him brutally, lamenting why he was even put in such a prison in the first place.

But Barnes was by no means a helpless victim ready to be mugged at a moment's notice. He usually kept to himself, not wanting to involve himself with others, and others still, would come to see him as a complete mystery, when they were willing to look his way. But if some idiot decided to pick a fight, they would learn a hard and painful lesson from the man who was once Captain America's equal. One such victim, a Batarian fuel by ego, adrenalin and xenophobia ended up with a broken neck after making an attempt on his life.

Soon it would be followed by another, and another, and another...until by the end of the week 8 prisoners comprising of Batarians, Humans, Vorcha, and Turian decided to gang up on him. By the end of the fight, 6 earned a short yet painful visit to the infirmary while the remaining two escaped with their lives. It was from that point on that his would-be killers learned that he was not worth the trouble of fighting at the expense of their lives. The terrifying strength, skill, brutality, and pragmatism of this one armed man were on full display and no one ever challenged him again.

But even Bucky himself learned the hard way that a Krogan is not unlike any of them. Three months in and soon he had to no choice but to face the resident Krogan, who was at a moment of blood rage after a scuffle with some prisoners. The sheer strength and brutality of the Krogan gave him a run for his money, despite being shackled heavily. As aliens with secondary and even tertiary vital organs, there was no logical weakness and its constant attack made thinking on the fly difficult, not made any better by the fact that he had only one arm.

In the end, a part of him felt glad that the guards stepped in and stopped the fight, while the other half of him was not too keen on having to share a room in solitary confinement with the Krogan as punishment. But it was to be and he had absolutely no power to object. All while an individual watches as he and the Krogan were being dragged away before resuming his position.

"Here, now you can enjoy each other's company" the Salarian guardsman exclaimed. And so it was, pushed to the other side of the room with an enormous Krogan on the other. Bucky cautiously sat while staring at the Krogan. For a while, it was as though the Krogan was about to get back up and resume the fight; but fortunately it did not reach its conclusion. After minutes of complete silence it was the surprisingly the Krogan who breaks it.

"Ugh. My head... Damn...no wonder hospitals were built like bunkers" he lamented while rubbing his head. Soon, he realized there was a human sitting across the room with a deadpan stare and an arm missing. "What the hell are you doing here, human?" he asked. "Got stuck in your little gargantuan tantrum and now I gotta stay here because of it" Barnes answered.

"Hah! So you actually handled my blood rage. Half of them usually run away faster than a Pyjak" he chuckled. "Well it's not like they had a choice between fighting or running from jacked up Krogan" Bucky replied.

Hearing this, the Krogan shook his head, indicating a feeling of somewhat disappointment." Your sentiment is worse than piss human. Don't waste on someone else's feelings and empathy. If it hadn't been for you enduring my blood rage, they would've sent me back to that damn forsaken cryo. The last thing I wanna do is waste my life with these pansies." he explained. "Aren't you Krogan? Most people would sure as hell piss their pants if they got close to a Krogan in blood rage" Barnes rationalized. "Yeah and all Krogan eat, breathe, talk and sleep like they're pumped with red sand every day. I love murder and mayhem more than anything but even I'm not that stupid. What's life if you're not doing something with It." the Krogan shot back. "Something mundane? One where you didn't have to run from the law" the Winter Soldier responded. "You don't have the Genophage strapped to your back. All you aliens thinks the same". The response made Bucky stagger a bit, realizing he had got off on the wrong foot and was one step closer to giving a wrong impression on the Krogan. This was abruptly followed by more periods of silence before the Krogan finally spoke up again. "So, what do they call you?" he asked.

"Barnes, Bucky Barnes" he appealed, figuring that if he was gonna croak from the galaxy, he'd have at least one alien to remember his name. Despite the aforementioned alien being an 8 foot hulking reptilian monster with a penchant for bloodlust and may end up killing him. His head plate indicated that he must've been old, if not centuries old, though seemingly not as ancient as the other Krogans. Bucky, hypothesized that by human standards, he would be of middle age.

And much to his surprise, the Krogan continued. "Raster, Ganar Raster. Been stuck in this shithole for a decade and a half."; signifying acknowledgement : something which was said to be unique amongst Krogans. Barnes considered that a very fortunate outcome. From what he read, Krogan normally tend to be blunt, selfish and unsympathetic; but then again, books don't always provide accurate information nor did stereotypes.

"How did you end up here?" Bucky asked. "I was a member of a Blood Pack unit. Served as their Engineer". "I thought Krogans usually murdered people with shotguns. How'd you end up with the smart job?" Barnes interrupted out of curiosity. "Who do you think keep the weapons working for these idiots to slaughter each other? How do you expect them to get to the battlefield when the ship isn't fixed? If it hadn't been for me, they might well be running around for Pyjaks. They're useless without me!" Raster boldly exclaimed." Anyways" he continued" our leader got smashed by too many Ryncol one day and came up with the fine idea of making an all out assault in Citadel space. We're lucky they didn't just blow us off right out of Orbit. Guess they got curious as to why a Blood Pack ship thought of picking a fight with them. It went just as well as you'd expect. Those idiots decided to high tail their ass outta there while the boss ejected himself out of the airlock leaving me to make a last stand. Eventually they got me, took me alive and put me here under charges of ... of...umm ( _scratches head)_...yeah I forgot. What about you?"

"I snuck my way to the Citadel, laying low there for a while, till I got into some trouble playing hero and getting into a fight. C-Sec found out I didn't have any ID with me, and the embassy didn't want to have anything to do with me. C-Sec gave me the choice of getting deported back to earth or spending 10 years in prison, then get deported. You probably know what I chose" Barnes explained. "And that arm?" Raster asked. "Got blown off "was the simple answer Raster received.

"Ha! Now that's either a stupid choice or you find your planet so repulsive you'd rather stay here. Shame you squishy aliens don't have secondary organs like I do. Must've hurt like shit" Raster blurted. "Maybe both" Bucky replied. "Then, enjoy your stay here Barnes; not that I care but ... it's gonna be a long time before any of us gets out." the Krogan bemoaned. The remaining time was spent in silence as they both speculated their fate.

Deep within the various wards of the Citadel, one outpost hosted itself exclusively for the C -sec investigations and network division. Gather up evidences, solving crimes and putting various perpetrators to justice, the outpost served as the main headquarters for the best and brightest detectives C-sec had to offer while the network dealt with cybercrimes, illegal piracies and AIs. The area was packed to the brim with officers, each of them busy in their own way. But none was ever so busy as Lieutenant Parrius Hastatim.

Known for his stickler for discipline yet also having a keen sense of pragmatism, detective Parrius had 25 years of experience with him. A somewhat lengthy career which he hoped would aid in his carrying out his other goals; goals which were considered ambitious, a trait rare in his species. There was a reason for it.

Months ago, he assigned to interrogate a human, one which sparked his curiosity. As seen in the evidence, the skills and strength displayed by the human was most impressive to him. But what really sparked him was the fact that the man was a complete mystery. Not even the Systems Alliance had any clue as to who he was (or at least admitted to) nor did they want to do anything with him. Considering him a straggler, they simply him fit to be deposed of. But what many saw as a liability or a waste of skin, Parrius saw an opportunity. A tool,... a valuable resource, which could be used for a very important case. One which he had been going after for decades: one which would elevate him if given the chance to crack it. A case he intended to complete before his semi-retirement.

As he pondered through his desk, busy at work, the bleeping sound of the VI caught his attention. _*Lieutenant Parrius, Sergeant Irina is requesting permission to enter*_ it stated. "Permission granted" he replied. After a few moments, came an Asari brandishing the C-sec uniform and carrying a data pad with her.

"I've brought the data you asked for Lieutenant" she stated. "Thanks, you can put it over there" he answered before resuming his work. "So, still working on the case sir?" Irina asked, looking over his desk. "Yes, think I've finally got all pieces together. Just need that one push for action" Parrius answered with a determined tone. "But the case has been dead for decades now, no one believes Sionis to be ringleader and even if we did prove it or send someone undercover, he's practically untouchable. "Irina lamented. "Besides, your retirement is coming soon. I'd play it safe, and just wait it out if I were you sir" she continued.

"That's exactly why I want to finish this case. I want to do it so the whole force has something to remember me by!" Parrius exclaimed. "And how do you planned on taking down Sionis?" Irina enquired.

"We can't afford to risk sending in an undercover, and we can't publicly come out with the evidence. Sionis has got too much connection with the Shadow Broker. But...if I do this outside the book...hmm...yes" Parrius mumbled, while rubbing his mandible. "Of course! He's the perfect agent for this!" he exclaimed in excitement.

"To whom are you referring to, Lieutenant?" Irina asked. "Never mind that for now, Sergeant. I'll discuss this with you later in private about this matter. It seems I'll be requiring you assistance for this work of mine. Now, is there anything else you came to talk about?" Parrius said.

"Well, yes there is. The Executer Pallin wanted to know if you were happy with the dossier of replacements offered to you" Irina said as she flickered with her omnitool, revealing a hologram with the profile pictures of various junior officers.

Pallin, now that was a name he was familiar with. A by-the-book C-sec commander, Pallin was always at odds with him. Mainly because Parrius preferred pragmatism and the concept of completing the task with whatever means necessary: A favoured tactic amongst Spectres, which Pallin hated with a passion, as did all other C-sec officers. "As a matter of fact, I 'am. They're all outstanding officers in their own right. Yet, there is one officer who has particularly caught my interest". Parrius pointed his finger at one of the possible recruits.

"Officer Garrus Vakarian?" the Asari asked, with a slight sign of confusion. "Yes. Skilled, resourceful, and best of all, willing to do whatever it takes to complete a task. Though his temperament and naivety gives me some reservation, his contrasting personality towards his father intrigues me" the Turian detective answered.

" Is that all sir?" Irina asked. "Personally, he reminds me of myself in many ways. Now if that is all Irina, you are dismissed" Parrius answered.

"As you wish Lieutenant, I'll relay this to the Pallin as soon as possible" Irina said before leaving the room again. Alone gain, Parrius browsed through his computer, checking out the list of prisoners before finally finding Bucky on the mugshot." So, James Buchanan Barnes is your name is it? Hmmm, I think I'll have some use for you after all".


End file.
